Lullaby
by BellonaBellatrix
Summary: HBP basedLuna Lovegood's mother died when she was nine...


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. It's all J.K. Rowling's.

Based: On HBP canon, but not really a spoiler. Just a theory…

Lullaby

"And who might you be?"

She asked the shadow in the mirror. Usually, they never answered back, thus she was surprised when this particular one did. The mirrors talked occasionally, but after awhile, she grew bored with them. She preferred the shadows.

"I am just one of many," it answered back. "And you…what is your name?"

"Luna," she said shyly, clinging to the bronze base of the mirror and straining to be tall enough, standing on her tiptoes. She placed her fingers in the appropriate curved spaces in the mirror's haughty frame, hanging on for dear life.

"Such a pretty little girl," it said and she smiled and laughed. "How old are you?"

"I'm eight," she answered, tapping out the number on the surface lightly, for emphasize. "I'll be turning nine soon."

x-x-x

Soon her mirror friend moved into all the mirrors in the house. She would glance up to see her reflection…but it wasn't her at all. It would smirk. And she would laugh.

It would make faces at her. Her eyes would darken and the smile exaggerated. It would make faces behind her mother's back.

And she would laugh.

Her mother would turn, always far too late, and see herself. Luna would smile.

"An imaginary friend?" her father asked at dinner. Her mother would study her and brush Luna's hair behind her ear.

"Yes," she said. "He talks to me all the time."

Her mother's brow would furrow.

x-x-x

"Can you sing me to sleep?"

Luna stared into darkness, listening.

"Try counting sheep," her reflection said from above her bed.

"Please," she begged. "I can't sleep."

"Neither can I."

x-x-x

"She's too old for an imaginary friend," her mother said to her father in the sitting room.

Luna's eyes blurred. She was very tired.

She sank against the leg of the chair. Her mother would draw her fingers through her hair.

"Oh, what's the harm?" her father said. "I had one at her age too."

Her mother frowned.

Luna gazed at the mirror on the left wall.

x-x-x

Luna snuck down to the basement where her mother kept her potions.

The mirror would always be there, guard to the impossible. Guard to the secret.

"Hello," she said, sitting close. Something was always slipping. Her heart would race.

She was light-headed, hot and cold all at once.

She clung to the mirror. A feeling down her fingers, in her spine.

Black and yellow and poisonous green…

….potions.

Near the mirror, right shelf.

"Get rid of them," it said.

x-x-x

In her spine.

There was always a feeling in her spine.

It was like satin running down her bones.

In the dark, she would whisper.

"Tell me a story."

"Once there was a girl with hair of gold…"

x-x-x

There was broken glass in the dustbin. The paper stained yellow.

"Luna, did you go into your mother's room?" her father demanded. The shards sparkled in the light against his fingers.

Her mother was pale.

x-x-x

"…who spoke only lies…"

x-x-x

She dragged her blanket down the stairs. It hissed.

The mirror was there.

"I can't sleep."

"Come closer."

x-x-x

He scoped the small figure into his arms. The blanket fell away.

"But I locked the door," her father said, blindly.

Her mother held on to the wall.

"Don't look at me like that. I locked the door."

"…What's the harm?" her mother said, clinging for dear life.

x-x-x

…she made her parents fight…"

x-x-x

She pressed her nose against the glass.

"I can't see you," she said. "I want to see you."

"You will."

"Can you see me?"

"Oh, yes."

"Will we be friends?"

"The best of friends."

x-x-x

"Oh, heaven help me!"

Her father raced through out the house.

"He's in the mirrors!"

She heard his footsteps thundering around her head. Glass breaking in her eyes. Luna screamed, cried…begged. Don't hurt him!

"What have I done?"

Her mother rocked her back and forth. She couldn't breathe. Her shoulders hurt. All the mirrors were screaming in denial and shock. Yet they kept breaking.

Don't hurt him, Daddy!

"What have I done to my child?"

Back and forth…

&&&

There was one mirror left in the house.

&&&

……

….they put poison on their lips to kill her…

……

x-x-x

Alone, she was alone. Her heart hurt.

Downstairs. She had to go down stairs. Her face…

…she was losing her face. Melting off, in silver swirls…

"Please forgive me."

…….back and forth…….

Her mother cried.

x-x-x

Her mother placed her small hand to the glass.

"Leda!"

Her father pounded on the door that was barred against all force.

Her mother squeezed her hand. The shadow leered and twisted.

x-x-x

"Spare my child."

…they tasted the poison on their lips …

"Take me instead."

…and slept forever…

x-x-x

The men in black cloaks came and took the mirror away.

Review if you'd like.


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